Steam vacuum boiler



May 15, 1956 E. D. MOELHANEY STEAM VACUUM BOILER Filed April 3, 1952 m y M m m a b M m H" 4 4 E mm 8 m 2 3 4 E W o mmm r n .F c 1 n m E m M in W F a 0 0 t m 0 I. 4 B 2 M m 3 m 6 T E 1 8 T 0 m T 4 M 6 w T 5 CN 6 3 d m A M 4 2 E 5 W T 4 4 w A E l m a m m w. m, W F m 8 w 3 w J u 6 m m5 m m nmmw 8 A 1 w 4 HHHW 0 v F R W m F w v S I M PORTABLE UNIT 76 in nited tates This invention relates in general to a boiler, and more particularly to a boiler which has connected thereto finned piping for heating a room or a building and may be used in either a steam vacuum system or a hot water onculating system.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved compact boiler which may be utilized for heating either a room or an entire house depending upon its size.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved steam boiler which is in the form of a relatively small tubular tank having mounted therein heating means for heating water disposed within said boiler.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved boiler which is relatively small in size and adapted for efficient operation in either a steam vacuum heating system or a hot water circulating system.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved heating system for a house which utilizes a small boiler for generating steam, said boiler being controlled by both a room thermostat and an aquastat mounted within the piping associated with said boiler.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved heating system for a single room, said heating system including a small boiler having piping communicating therewith, said piping having a finned section, the entire system being free of air and the steam and water circulating through the piping due to natural heat differential incurred circulation.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved steam vacuum boiler which is of compact and simple construction and utilizes an ordinary electric heating unit whereby it may be economically manufactured.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved portable heating unit which includes a boiler having an electric heating unit therein, said boiler having rigidly secured thereto a short length of finned piping, said finned piping being provided with a temperature responsive device for controlling the flow of current to the electric heating unit.

With these objects definitely in view, this invention resides in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of elements and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail in the specification, particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a material part of this application, and in which:

Figure 1 is a general diagram of a circulating hot water heating system for a building, said heating system including the improved boiler which is the subject of this invention, the boiler and a pump being shown in section;

Figure 2 is a wiring diagram of an electrical circuit of the heating system of Figure l and shows the manner in which the heating of the boiler is controlled;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of a modified heating system in the form of a portable unit; and

"atent O Figure 4 is a partial diagram of a modified heating system for a building, said heating system having the general arrangement as the heating system of Figure 1 but being a steam vacuum heating system, the boiler for said heating system'being shown in section.

Similar characters of reference designate similar or identical elements and portions throughout the specification and throughout the different views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that there is illustrated in Fgure 1 a circulating hot water heating system for a building, the heating system includes a boiler, said boiler being the subject of this invention, and referred to in general by the reference numeral 10. The boiler 10 is in the form of a small tubular tank 12 having mounted therein an electric heating unit 14. It will be understood that the electric heating unit is of the conventional type now readily found on the market and utilized for heating water or other fluids. It will be understood that the tank 12 is only slightly longer than the electric heating unit 14 and has a relatively small cross-sectional area.

Connected to the upper side of the boiler 10 is piping 16 which is provided with a plurality of finned sections 18. The finned sections 18 are conventional heat transfer structures and are intended to be disposed behind baseboards of rooms in order to form a portion of a baseboard heating system. The opposite end of the piping 16 is connected to a conventional pump 20. While the pump 20 has been illustrated as a reciprocating pump including a piston 22, it will be understood that it is not intended to so limit the invention as other conventional types of pumps may be utilized. Connected to the outlet of the pump 20 is a section of piping 24 which has mounted therein a vent valve 26. The other end of the section of piping 24 is connected to a conventional shut-off valve 28 which is, in turn, connected to a section of piping 30. The section of piping 30 is connected to the boiler 10 and communicates with the interior thereof below the water line.

In order that the temperature of the steam within the first portion of the piping may be regulated, the piping 16 is provided adjacent the boiler 10 with an aquastat or other similar temperature responsive device 32. The heat produced by the electric heating unit 14 is also controlled by a room thermostat mounted within the building.

Referring now to Figure 2 in particular, it will be seen there is illustrated a wiring diagram for the electric heating 14 of the boiler 10. A first wire 34 is connected to a power source at one end and to a contact of the aquastat 32 at the other end. A second wire 36 extends between the aquastat 32 and the thermostat 38 and conmeets the two in series. Extending from the thermostat 38 and connected at its other end to one terminal 40 of the heating unit 14 is a sectional wiring 42. The other terminal 40 of the electric heating unit is connected to the power source by a wire 44. it is readily apparent that when either the aquastat 32 or the thermostat 33 has its contacts open, the circuit to the electric heating unit 14 is also open and no heat is produced. By this arrangement either the aquastat or the thermostat may shut off the current to the electric heating unit 14.

In order that air may be vented from the boiler 10 and the other portions of the heating system of Figure l, the vent valve 26 is opened. The

through the piping and heat passes from the piping into building through the fins of the finned piping 18. In order that the heating system may remain filled with water, the boiler is connected to a water line by a section of piping 46, the flow of water into the ment of Figure 4.

boiler being controlled by a shut-ofi valve 48. It is from the boiler throughout the heating system, it is not intended to so limit the invention. If desired, the

heating system of Figure 1 may be a steam vacuum system by omitting the pump and valve arrangement of Figure l and utilizing the boiler and vent valve arrange- Inasmuch as steam is required for a steam vacuum heating system, it will be necessary to change the setting of the aquastat 32 and in certain cases utilize an electric heating unit of greater capacity.

Referring now to Figure 4 in particular, it will be seen that there is illustrated that portion of a heating system necessary to replace the boiler, valves and pump of the heating system of Figure 1 in order to form a steam vacuum heating system. The modified heating system includes a boiler 50 which is similar to the boiler 10 and is formed of a tank 52 in which is mounted a conventional electric heating unit 54 provided with terminals 56. Connected to the upper side of the boiler 50 is conventional piping 58 which, when incorporated in the heating system of Figure 1, is connected to the aquastat 32 and the first finned section 18. The last finned piping in the heating system is connected to the boiler 50 by a section of piping 60 which enters the boiler 50 at the underside thereof. Carried by the piping 60 is a conventional vent valve 62 which is identical with the vent valve 26 of Figure 1.

When the steam vacuum heating system is first put in operation, air is bled from the heating system by generating steam in the boiler 50 with the vent valve 62 open. After all air has been bled out of the heating system, the entire heating system is filled with steam. The heating system remains filled with steam as long as the heating unit 54 is operating. When steam is not produced in the boiler 50, the steam in the heating system condensates due to the removal of heat therefrom and results in a vacuum with the condensate returning to the boiler 50 due to the force of gravity. Inasmuch as the boiler 50 is utilized to generate steam, the water level in the tank 52 need only be high enough to cover the heating unit 54.

It will be understood that the wiring diagram of Figure 2 will apply to the heating system of Figure 4 by merely replacing the heating unit 14 and terminals 40 with the heating unit 54 and terminals 56.

Referring now to Figure 3 in particular, it will be seen that there is illustrated a third form of heating system. The heating system is in the form of a portable unit and includes a boiler 64 which has extended from one end thereof a section of finned piping 66. The boiler 64 is also provided with an electric heating unit 68 mounted therein and extending outwardly through the opposite end thereof. In order that the boiler 64 may be conveniently transported, it is provided on its upper side with a handle 70 for carrying same. Also provided on the upper side of the boiler 64 is a filler opening and cap 72 for replenishing the supply of water within the boiler 64.

In order that the boiler 64 and the finned piping 66 may be freed of air, the finned piping is provided at its extreme end with a vent valve 74. Connected to the terminals of the electric heating unit 68 is a conventional power cord 76 which may be plugged into a suitable wall socket through the use of its plug element 78 on the free end thereof. Connected in series with one of the wires of the electric cord 76 is a second electric cord 80 which is connected to the terminals of a temperature responsive device in the form of an aquastat 82. It will be noted that the aquastat 82 is mounted at the extreme end of the finned piping 66 adjacent the vent valve 74. Through the use of the aquastat 82 the temperature of the steam within the boiler 64 may be readily controlled.

It will be understood that the boilers described herein may be square, round or oval shape and generally are only slightly longer than the immersion type electric heating unit associated therewith. The boiler is filled with only enough water to cover the element whereby steam may be generated and fill the upper portion of the boiler. While the electric heating unit has proved to be very satisfactory and has safety features not found with other type of heating units, it is not intended to so limit the invention as the boiler may be also heated by either gas or other suitable heating means.

The portable heating unit illustrated in Figure 3 may be utilized for a plurality of purposes. It is intended that the portable unit be utilized to heat one room of a house, but it also may be utilized on construction jobs for heating rooms for drying plaster, etc. The heating unit may also be used for thawing out frozen pipes and similar uses. A further use of the portable unit is to mount same in combination with a fan suspended from the ceiling of a building in order to operate as a space heater.

The operation of this device will be understood from the foregoing description of the details thereof, taken in connection with the above recited objects and drawings. Further description would appear to be unnecessary.

Minor modifications of the device, varying in minor details from the embodiment of the device illustrated and described here, may be resorted to without departure from the spirit and scope of this invention, as defined in the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A heating unit comprising a boiler, piping connected to said boiler, heat transfer fins carried by said piping, said unit being in the form of a closed circulatory system, a vent valve for bleeding air from said piping whereby a vacuum is produced in the piping when steam is not being produced by said boiler, means for controlling heat produced by said boiler including a temperature responsive device for controlling the temperature of fluid in said piping.

2. A heating unit comprising a boiler piping connected to said boiler, heat transfer fins carried by said piping, said unit being in the form or" a closed circulatory system, a vent valve for bleeding air from said piping whereby a vacuum is produced in the piping when steam is not being produced by said boiler, said boiler being in the form of a small tubular tank having compact heating means, means for urging the circulation of heated fluids within said piping, means for controlling the heat prov duced by said boiler.

References Cited in the file of this patent 

